Instructions:
-Mash the bananas using a fork
-Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, chocolate almond butter and salt
-Heat the oil in a pan on medium low and spoon approximately ¼ cup per pancake
-Cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until it feels slightly firm

Sweatshirts and I have never really gotten along. They’re so comfortable to wear, but I always feel like a giant blob whenever I throw one on. Perhaps it’s my inner Arizonan acting completely dumbfounded that they could actually be fashionable! But I found experimenting with proportions and shape was the key to offsetting the boxy look of such a big shirt.

Italy will always have soft spot in my heart. After an adventure-filled week in Croatia, I was ecstatic for a relaxing stay in Sicily. I met up with my friend Jami in Rome, where we explored for a day before jumping on the night train to Sicily. Although night trains normally have a bad rep, we had a wonderful experience and one I’d suggest to everyone. I mean, when else do you get to wake up to breakfast in bed in the view of the Italian countryside?

We stayed in On the Way Hostel for our first few nights where the adorable owners baked us fresh breakfast every morning. We spent these days exploring Palermo and nearby areas. We visited the botanical gardens where we had so much fun swinging on vines and smelling flowers. The local markets were bustling with fruit, meat, pastry and vegetable vendors. The GIANT 6 foot swordfish lying on the tables never failed to startle me.

Monday morning we got a rental car and moved into the flat we rented on the outskirts of the city. Having a car made all the difference on the trip. The next day we woke up first thing and drove to Taormina, on the other side of Sicily where I got to do a shipwreck dive. We explored the adorable shops and made a day adventure of exploring nearby cities. Taormina’s colourful shops, rolling hills and beautiful ocean had just the charm we were looking for.

The next day we found my ancestral village of Lecara Friddi, tucked away in the mountains. We spent a few hours in the city talking to locals, taking pictures and exploring its charm. Afterwards, we threw out our plans and drove to explore.

After a few hours we ended up in an old, abandoned village in a valley. It was suuuuper creepy but there were beautiful horses guarding to keep us company. Jami and I both love photography so the day was filled with cool opportunities to shoot.

All in all, the trip was incredible. Though we had our fair share of obstacles in the beginning of the trip, we had so much making the most of Sicilian culture. Until next time Italy.